Manure spreader



July 26,1927.. .1,636,829

L. B. NEIGHBOUR MANURE SPREADER Filed oct. 19. 1921 4, sheets-sheet 1Zn-va mm' July 26, 1927. 1,636,829

L. B. NEIGHBOUR M'ANURE SPREADER` Filed Oct. 19. 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 2July 26, 1927;

L. B. NEIGHBOUR MANURE S PREADE R 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. L9. 1921 ll Il Murmel/r.

Patented July 26, 1927.

UNITED STATES PArsNr ortica;

LEONARD B. NEIGHBOUR, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 DEERE & COMPANY,OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, .A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS.

MANURE SPREADER.

Application led October 19, 19271. Serial No. 508,703.

This invention relates to improvements in a manure spreader of the classincluding those where each has a relatively rapidly driven distributorelement that requires constant application of a high power. This poweris generally derived from Ycircular traction wheels positionedrelatively near the end of the vehicle body and actuated by the groundsurface as they roll along the same under draft from animals or enginesconnected to the front end of the body element. The purpose, here, is toprovide a traction power mechanism of greater' efficiency than thecircular wheels heretofore used and of which the work will be moreuniformly ccnsta-nt, and varied to less extent by variations in theground surface than has been the case with the circular wheelsheretofore used as aforesaid. i

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my manure spreader.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view showing the opposite side of thespreader illustrated in Fig. 1, and shows the means for operating thebeater.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the driving means.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view on line 6 6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view on line 7-7 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view on line 8 8 of Fig. 3, a few ofthe parts being shown-in elevation.

10 is the box of a spreader as usually constructed having a movablebottom or apron 11 adapted to deliver the manure placed in the box to abeater 12 mounted on a shaft 13 at'the rear of the-box 10, all carriedby a frame which is supported at the front end on a fifth wheel 15, andan axle 16, upon which wheels 17 are revolubly mounted. The apron 11 isoperated as usual from the beater 12 by means of an eccentric 18, a pawl19 and a ratchet wheel 20. I have described the foregoing parts in ageneral way as they are of usual construction and are well known in theart.

Near its rear end, and extending underneath and supported by, the frame14 is a shaft 21 in hangers 21. Upon each end of the shaft 21 is freelymounted a triangular frame 23. vCollars 24 and pins 25 hold the frames23 (and other parts to be described) properly on the shaft.

. Each of the frames 23 has similar parts as follows: On a short shaft26 in one end of each frame a wheel 27 is loosely mounted.

This wheel is more particularly described hereafter. The shaft 26 isheld in proper position by pins 26a which pass through the shaft andthrough bearing elements 26b formed on the frame. 29 is a wheel similarto that at 27, but preferably of smaller diameter, and is mounted at theopposite end of the frame, so that it is spaced a considerable distancefore and aft from the. wheel 27. The wheel 29 is loosely mounted on ashort shaft 30, non-rotatably held by pins 31 in bearing castings 32.The latter are. slidable longitudinally in slots 33 in the arms of theframe 23. On each of the castings 32 there is a lug 3.4 whichcorresponds with a lug 35 on the frame. A bolt 36 extends through a pairof lugs 34 and 35 and is held in position by nuts 37, 38. On each of thebolts 36, between the lugs 34 and 35, is an expansion spring 39. Bymeans of the bolts and springs the wheel 29 may be ad-v justed to theproper predetermined longitudinal position, and yieldingly held in saidposition.

Rotatably mounted on a shaft carried in the lower portion of the frame23 is a smaller wheel 41 similar in construction to the wheels 27 and.29.

Mounted on the end part of the shaft 21, outsidethe frame 14, andadapted to rotate on the shaft is a sleeve'42 having at its innerl end aplate 43 integral therewith. On the plate 43 are studs 44 upon which arepivotally mounted dogs 45. A spring 46 is connected at one end to an armof the dog and at the other end to a pin 47 secured to the plate 43. Aswill be seen in Fig. 5, one end of the dog 45 is adapted t0 engage withinternal ratchet teeth 48 integral with a sprocket wheel 49 which isrevolubly mounted on the shaft 21. Upon a squared portion of thesleeve42 and adapted to revolve therewith is a. double toothed sprocket50. It will thus be seen that when the sprocket 50 is turned in aforward direction the sleeve 42 with its plate 43 will also be revolvedand the dogs 45 will be held in en` gagement with the ratchet teeth 48by the springs 46, thusfdriving the sprocket 49. It

f sprocket 50 on the right hand side of the vehiclepor from the doublesprocket 41a on the left hand side of the vehicle. To accomplish this Ihave shown the mechanism on the left hand side of the vehicleas beingconstructed similarly to that on the right hand side ericept that thedouble sproeket 4l is keyed to the shaft 21 at 41h. iVithin the hollowsprocket 49 and parallel to the plate 43 is mounted a second plate 62formed with a hub -63 `and rigidly secured to theshaft 2l by means ofpin 64 which passes through said hub and `the shaft. The plate G2, asshown in V6, carries dogs 65 pivotall-y Vu'iounted ou stur so@ andheldin opera-tive position by springs (57. The operation of fthe partsust described Vis similar tothe operation of the corresponding elementsmounted upon plate 4B as the said parte :are adapted to transmitrota-.tion from the shaft 2l Ito the sprocket 49. It will be seen thatthe devices within the sprocket 49 constitute a. form of dilferentialIfor positively driving the said sprocket when the `vehicle is advancingrectilinearly or turning on any radius; but the sprocket `renuriusstationary when the vehicle is being nloved backward. Y

Mounted around the wheels f, 29, 4l and the sprocket on .one side of thcn'lachine and on the other side around the wheels 2i', Q9, rl-il and thesprocket 41al are endless lbelts or tracks 5l which, together with thesupporting devices therefor. serve as the ground suliiporting means forthe rear part of the spreader vby which its weiglt is sustained. Mach ofthese :beltsiconsists ofa pair of parallel endlesschains to which aresecured, on their outer faces, broadV treads, th-e latter being adaptedto engage with ythe ground. To properly support these chains and treads,and to anaintain them in position during their travel, the wheels 27, 29and 41am peculiarly formed as yis clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 8.Eachvof the wheels fhas two @tread surfaces T9, 'K9 upon which theendless chains `hear; `and `between .these tread surfaces a radiallyprojecting part l7 l ofsufiicientwidth to maintain the endless chainparts iin proper position axially, .and of sufficient height to aid `incarrying 'the belt by supporting the central portions of the treads asthey pass `around the wheels.

Tahe links, that constitute `the endless belts fil, 'are adapted toengage with the-teeth or" Athe sprocketsillla and 50, and when they arespreader.

moved around their guides by the advance of the machine7 which is causedby the draft means, such as horses or a` tractor, they i1npart movementto the sprockets, which, in

turn, drive the .sprocket 49 as previously described. is a chain meshingwith the teeth of the sprocket 49, with a sprocket keyed on the beatershaft l", with an idler sprocket 53 mounted to freely rotate on a studfastened to the box 1G, and with a sprocket 54. rlfhe sprocket54 rotatesfreely on a. stud 56 on an l shaped lever 5'? pivotally mounted at 58 onthe box l0. fr rod 59 connects one end of the leveriw with a lever 60positioned within convenient `reach of the operator when on the seat ofthe spreader. By means of the lever 60, the rod`59, andthe l shapedlever 57, the chain 55 may be brought into mesh with the teeth of thesprocket 49 as shown in Fig. S or Adieengaged from the teeth, Vand corr.ingly the beater 12 will rotate or remain stationary as the spreaderprogresses Aover the ground. i

ihe .work is very severe which =n1ust .be

performed-by the dri-ven parts of a manure The load is heavy, compactand generally wet, and by its inertia resisj .the desired constant anduniform `backward lsu feeding n'lovement of the bottom apron. 95

And, particularly, this thick coherent re sisting mass resists its`being torn to pieces yby the beater and being carried upward and.thrown backward. But these operations and the required movements of.the parts should" be continually uniform in order that an even4distribution of the material over the surface of the ground shall beattained. And for .this work all of the power which is available is thatderived from the circular peripheries ofthe ground u'heelsin spre-adersas non7 or dinarily made. l l

find experience has `show-n that these circular traction wheels do notprovide sufli- -cient `tractive effort to properly operate the :feed-erof the beater, particularly when the ground is soft or when there iisany snow upon vthe surface, both of 'which conditions are common duringthose seasons'of the year when the greater part ofthe spreading ofmanure Iis carried on. The wheels are constantly liable to slip andrefuse to actuate the parts they are intended to drive.

These difficulties are overcome by amechanism en'ibodying myimprovements. cause 4of the spacing apart of the wheels 27 and 29, theendless ground-engaging tread chains have tread sections elongatedlong-ii tudinally -of :the machine, which (under the down-pressingweight of the body and its :tions ofthe chai-ns readily adjustthemselves mi n to any variations in the surface and thus constantlymaintain their grip. The two tread chains on the opposite sides,respectively, of the body can vibrate or oscillate together orindependently, as circumstances require7 thus insuring that the onewhich is operatively connected to the beater shall have its treadsection quickly adapt itself to the ground surface and constantlymaintain tractive relation thereto. Furthermore my invention constitutesan important improvement over prior constructions in several otherparticulars. In manure spreads it is of great importance that the bodybeset as low down as possible so as to facilitate loading and the properdistribution of the load in the body by a man standing on the ground,and that the rear supports of the body be such that they will notinterfere with the free access to it from the sides for loadingpurposes. In my improved construction these advantages are obtainedsince the endless chain devices which support the rear portion of thebody may be so arranged as to support the body at a very low point, andthey may be placed at any desired point fore and aft with relation tothe rear end of the body without Yinterfering with its being loaded fromthe sides since they lie wholly below the upper side margins thereof.

that l claim is:

l. The combination with a vehicle frame, and a rotary driven elementmounted thereon7 of means for driving said driven element comprising anendless chain having an elongated substantially straight portionengaging with the ground7 front and rear wheels around which said chaintravels, a frame in which said wheels are mounted and by which theweight of one end portion of the vehicle is sustained, said frame beingpivoted to oscillate relatively to the vehicle frame about an axisdisposed transversely thereof at one side of the axis of said drivenelement, a driving wheel mounted at the center of oscillation of saidpivoted frame, and a driving connection between said driving wheel andsaid driven element.

2. The combination with a vehicle frame, and a rotary driven elementmounted thereon, of means for driving said driven element comprising anendless chain having an elongated substantially straight portionengaging with the ground, front and rear wheels around which said chaintravels, a frame in which said wheels are mounted and by which theweight of one end portion of the vehicle is sustained, said frame beingpivoted to oscillate relatively to the vehicle frame about an axisdisposed transversely thereof at one side of the aXis of said drivenelement, a Sprocket wheel mounted at the center of oscillation of saidpivoted frame and driven by said endless chain, and a sprocket wheel andchain driving connection between said sprocket wheel and said drivenelement.

3. The combination with a vehicle frame, and a rotary driven elementmounted thereon7 of means for driving said driven element (.'oniprisingan endless chain having an elongated substautially straight portionengaging with the ground, front and rear wheels around which said chaintravels1 a frame'in which said wheels are mounted and by which theweight of one end portion of the vehiclel is sustained, said frame being`pivoted to oscillate relatively to the vehicle frame about an axisdisposed transversely thereof at one side of the axis of said drivenelement, a sprocket wheel mounted at the center of oscillation of saidpivoted frame, a sprocketI wheel mounted on the vehicle frame coaxiallywith said driven element and operatively connected therewith, and achain mounted on the vehicle frame and operatively connecting saidsprocket Wheels.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

LEONARD B. NEIGHBOUR.

